Red Ring Chronicles Pt 3: The Return

by Richard Mitchell { Aug 23rd 2007 at 6:15PM }

It looks like the Red Ring Chronicles have come to an end. After languishing unnecessarily in a Texas warehouse for several days, my 360 was picked up by UPS. I knew this because the tracking number I'd gotten over a week ago from Microsoft was finally recognized by the UPS website. The next day was a feverish wait for the UPS truck, a wait that did not end until well past 6:00 PM. Twilight Princess and hard liquor were all that stood between me and a state of feral insanity. And then, there he was: the UPS guy. I had discovered a while ago that I would be receiving a refurbished Xbox 360 -- I saw that my serial had magically changed on service.xbox.com, you see -- which is unfortunate. Still, it was all in one piece, no weird rattling or anything like that. The package came with a note and a free 1 month Xbox Live subscription. So, that's nice. But, as any 360 enthusiast knows, there is more to getting back your Xbox than simply plugging it in and making sure it works. Oh no, getting back into the swing of things is a process.

First thing's first, you have to flip that Xbox over and see when it was manufactured. At first, I saw the numbers "07" and was excited that I had received a brand new box. Alas, the feeling didn't last as I collected my thoughts and read the date properly: "2006-05-07." In reality, the box was from May of last year. A bummer to be sure. But wait, what about those fabulous new heatsinks? Was there one in my box? Time for an endoscopy.

From what I could tell, there was definitely something else in there, and judging from other photographs on the net, it looked like I had the new heatsink (note the telltale copper nub on the far left). So, while my box might be refurbished, Microsoft has girded its proverbial loins from future breakdowns at least. Now to see if the dangblasted thing works properly. The power button is a little squishy, lacking the satisfying click of my old box, but I digress. I power it up. I am immediately stupefied by the HD dashboard. Having seen nothing but SD Gamecube and DVDs for several weeks, I had forgotten how pleasing HD really is. I had missed it, perhaps more than I knew. But, time to begin the Gamertag recovery process, which takes nearly 20 minutes, so I stick the progress bar into the "picture-in-picture" on my monitor as I play Zelda. After some productive dungeon exploring, the recovery is complete. I immediately begin downloading everything I had missed and switched on XBLA automatic downloads. BioShock demo: bliss.

Gallery: Red Ring Chronicles

So, all told, from the time I shipped my box, August 8th, to the day I got it back, August 22nd, it took fourteen days to turn it around. Not too shabby. Sure, it's a little annoying to deal with a refurbished box (I still have to re-download all of my XBLA games, for example) but at least it's got the new heatsink. If there is one thing I learned from it all, it's that Microsoft has created quite an addictive little machine. The feeling of absolute relief upon hearing the trademark "boo-doo" when I logged into Live is almost alarming in retrospect. Seeing friends online and messaging me right away was pretty cool as well. Now, if this one manages to live a long and healthy life, we'll be in business. I guess the best way I could put it is:

Let's never fight again, okay?

Tags: 3redlights, red ring chronicles, RedRingChronicles, redringofdeath, threeredlights

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

a ham sandwich @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:23PM

dude, your drive tray's white! did u have a core?

and wait, why do the memory card slots and usb port cover look fake? is this last picture real?!

JAKEJAX @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:24PM

Did they give you any credit for your xbox live?

Mauricio @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:29PM

i agree with Sandwich. that last pic looks really fake. Kind of like a Ken dolls 360. *Shrugs shoulders*.

KFelon @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:34PM

Just got my coffin in today to return my replacement Xbox 360 I got 2 weeks back... good luck dude, hopefully yours will last longer than 1 week. My "refurb" had the new heat sinks and a 7-27-2007 manufacture date.

hecsan008 @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:35PM

Hmm iam from texas too. and i got the red rings. i woke up in the morning put my C&C3 game and BAM! RED RINGS.. the box to sent for repaor came in no time. now iam stuck playing the waiting game.

Outinthedark @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:35PM

@ JAKEJAX

You get a 1 month prepaid card to redeem for the time out

Mine just got back Monday and I actually didn't send it in with a faceplate [I took off my custom faceplate I had painted up and laser cut and just threw it in the box] and got a new fresh canvas to work with for another custom faceplate...!

On a sad note I have had the box freeze up 3 times already during startup, retail, and XBLA already...but it was manufactured 2007-08-05 so I'm unsure how it's a refurb xbox...

Gemini Ace @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:43PM

So, are you going to call Microsoft and get MS points to re-buy all the arcade games and extra content? Since you have a new box, you won't be able to play with all that stuff unless you're connected to XBL so it can verify that you own it. I got a refurb, and I was disconnected from Live the other day while trying to play Crackdown. It wouldn't let me play with the new content until I connected to Live. You should extend your Red Ring Chronicles to verify how this process works, Richard.

sk8tbrdngpetey @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:51PM

I get mine back today too. But the ups truck hasnt come yet

Mauricio @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:54PM

Hey Sensei. Glad to hear you got your 360 back. I know exactly how you feel.

You dont need to buy all your XBLA games again. the games are on your HDD. so unless you canned it or returned it with the original
360. You still have them you just need an internet connection. Plug in the Cat5 and double check.

Mauricio @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:02PM

well, counting from the day you called Microsoft, in actuality it took 22 days.

check it out...
Red Ring Chronicles Pt 1: Death (21 days ago)
Red Ring Chronicles Pt 2: the Coffin (14 days ago)

Lharmon @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:04PM

@#1 He had a core to begin with, check the pictures in the gallery.

@#2 Yeah, if you read the whole story you would have seen that he got one month of live.

@# 7 is correct. There are a few more steps in the process! Make sure to get a refund of your MS points! Shadier characters *cough* MAY use the points for new content, and just make sure to stay connected at all times.... This process will take around 5-7 days.

13 days is AMAZING turn around. Mine took 32 days to get back. That was AFTER my Better Business Bureau complaint was filed.

Screamscape @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:10PM

How did you find out in advance that your new replacement box was a refurbished one? Is there a way to sell from the serial number?

Mine got to the Texas facility early yesterday and I'm waiting for any word that they're done and sending it or a replacement back still. How many days do they sit on it before they send something back?

DjDATZ @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:15PM

Well according to this, my box should be at my door tomorrow...but i know it won't be. I've been exactly a day behind richard on everything...calling in my box, recieving my coffin, shipping it off, although...i have YET to recieve an email with my tracking number. :(

Lharmon @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:15PM

@12, you'll get a different serial number. If for some crazy reason you don't have your original serial number or access to it, you can pull the face plate off when you get it back. There will be a silver Microsoft sticker inside, if it has two black dots on it... it's a refurb!

Kryptinite @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:26PM

Dude that's insane because I got mine back yesterday. Guess what the date was??

2007-08-07

That's right, the sent be a brand new one with heat sink and everything. No HDMI though.

Kryptinite @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:28PM

Correction: 2007-08-09

Josh @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:36PM

I have had two refurbs and I never had to redownload any XBLA arcade games.

Richard Mitchell @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:38PM

Oops, 14 days. Fixed.

Scooter @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:39PM

If you kept your hard drive, like you were supposed to. There would be NO reason to re-donwload ANYTHING. And no reason to recover your gamer tag. So there is no reason to include that info in your story.

Viridium @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:43PM

People are not understanding the Live Arcade game issue (Josh, Mauricio).

I got a refurb console back. Popped in my hard drive, essentially good to go.

EXCEPT - when I am NOT connected to Xbox Live, I CANNOT play ANY purchased downloaded content, be they expansions for games or XBLA games themselves. In addition, my wife's profile, whether connected to Xbox Live or not, cannot play ANY of the content downloaded with my profile prior to having received the refurb.

This is because any downloaded content is tied to the Console ID of the FIRST console it's downloaded on. Any use on a subsequent/different machine requires a connection to Xbox Live to verify the purchase - and any other profiles on the box are completely out of luck.

I cannot believe Microsoft STILL do not have a way to migrate content to a new Console ID, in the event of a console repair/replacement.

I phoned MS and complained, and they gave me enough points to repurchase all previous content using my wife's profile, so that we now have access to it when the box is not connected (and she just has access, period).

Richard Mitchell @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:48PM

"If you kept your hard drive, like you were supposed to. There would be NO reason to re-donwload ANYTHING. And no reason to recover your gamer tag. So there is no reason to include that info in your story."

Ah, I recovered my Gamertag on my brother's box a couple weeks ago, which is why I had to recover it with my new box. Took freaking forever.

As for XBLA, yes, they work fine when you're signed in. The full versions, however, are tied to your console. Otherwise you could just give them to anybody free of charge.

In order to make them work offline, you have to re-download them. So far I've just been deleting them and selecting the "Download again" option. Seems to work just fine.

Thomas @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:50PM

I guess i was lucky.. i sent in my x360 a few days before easter and still it only took 8 days. But i live in Norway, and our 360's get sent to Germany, so it might not be that comparable.

AoE @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:58PM

congrats on getting it back Richard! Out of interest though, did you have a core originally? If not, you should call and complain, chrome > off-white plastic accents any day... Actually, you should call and complain that you sent in a pro either way ;)

Michael Hyatt @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:18PM

I also sent mine in for a second time, but when mine was returned It came in 2 boxes...They sent me 2 360's!!!
now I just need to get a new HD and power brick and me and my brother can get in some serious head to head...wait that sounded dirty

MDJ2010 @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:49PM

HAHA, That DID sound dirty!

Adam @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:49PM

Rich Mitch, I have to commend you on your beautiful yard. That's all.

Mauricio @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:04PM

Dude, serious. i didnt notice before but your lawn is IMMACULATE.

adam @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:05PM

I sent mine off to Microsoft today. And when I did there was another guy sending his off. I dont live in a big town, so I asked the UPS store how many get sent off. The manager told me that the past few months they have sent at least 200 units back...

Ive thought about just buying a new Elite. But Im just afraid of it happening again. I wish Microsoft would just send new units back instead of refurbs.

SpectreGadget @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:15PM

It's taken 10 days for me to just get the dang coffin! I'm worried that my Elite won't get back before my Halo 3 arrives... :(

Jack @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:17PM

Yeah. You're so lucky to have it back within 14 days. I Read your article and called XBox asap even though they haven't gotten it yet, the little automated thing says they recieved it and shipped it back already and i should expect it to be here within 5 days, but the wait was too long to talk to a CSR so i'm gonna try again tomorrow. anyway. With the new heatsink are you stille expierenceing major heat problems? I Bought my 360 in August of 2006 and I SWEAR it could have been used as a space heater in the winter that year...

Jack @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:31PM

Oh Yeah. I Forgot to add, when I Originally called to tell them I had shipped it, they said it could take up to 30 days and I May not have it in time for Halo 3 :( Such a bummer. I'm gonna be pissed if I get back a core and I sent in a premium

lachlan @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:37PM

it took a week from the day i posted it to the day i came home from work and it was sitting at my door.

we don't get coffins here so it we have to make our own. the box i got back though will make a good coffin if it happens again.

i thought that if you deleted all the games off your hard drive and downloaded again it would work? i got my original back so i haven't tried it.

ccc @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:41PM

@Mitchell

Has MS given you Ms point codes to repurchase your Xbox live arcade games on this new system so you dont have to be signed in to play what you have purchased? If not, get on the horn and pursue this, perhaps the "Red Ring Chronicals" will continue.

ccc @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:43PM

Ah Nm just read ur last post. Thats what I get for not reading all the post I suppose.

Justin @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:43PM

Why did you have to recover your account? Did you send in your HDD too?

Jayslacks @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:13PM

I agree with you, Richard. I just cut off my box after about two hours of Big Daddy fleeing and Splicer cursing. When it works and works right, the 360 becomes closer to you than, dare I say it, a loved one?

pclyons @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:20PM

I shipped my xbox on the exact same date and got it back today.Couldn't wait to try out Bioshock...BUT...I got the 3Rod again.Can't believe it. MFR:2007-08-05
Any Ideas?
Already called the repair center.They said it's going to take another 3 weeks or so.

KFelon @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:21PM

@21 I had this issue too, called support & they told me to sign into live & redownload several games, sign out and see if they worked. Every game I redownloaded now worked fine even though I wasn't connected to Live.

KFelon @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:26PM

@37 I had similar shit happen, mine lasted a week. Did they give you a free game? Not that it makes up for it, but they offered me a free game from a short list of 4 titles I already owned... I got the coffin and free game today. Ghey. 7-27-2007 MFR Date

Emerald @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:27PM

Man you got lucky, getting my 360 fixed was a nightmare,

49 days... 39 of them waiting for the goddamn box to arrive. First they told me my xbox had been sent, then they told me only my boxes labels had been printed up and they would be sending the box shortly, then they were out of Boxes and had no clue when they were getting new ones. Then all of a sudden after arguing on the phone with them for 3 hours they were sending me a box and I got a real customer service rep (one that lived in NA and actualy new what customer service was) 15 days later I had my 360 back.

Hopefully most people don't have to go through this, Seriously I spent 3 hours bitching on the phone to the guy from the 1-800-4MY-XBOX agent to Rob Walker head of the MS customer service department ( Who tried to tell me he has nothing to do with xbox )

SteveMB @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:36PM

That's weird. I sent mine in a few weeks ago and they all said 8-07 even though they said 2005 or 2006 before the repair.

pclyons @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:44PM

@39 A free game? Do you remember the list? What exactly did you say to them that convinced them to send you a free game? The guy I was talking to had a real thick foreign accent so I couldn't understand most of the things he was saying. Did they say anything about receiving it much quicker than the time before? It killed me when I got the 3RoD again. This 360 is an addiction.

KFelon @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:59PM

@42 The guy I spoke to had an accent as well. I told him I just got this "new" replacement system a week ago and it fucking died when I got and Catan achievement and I was really pissed. He asked me to hold while he went and spoke to someone and then came back and said he could offer me a free game. I got to choose from PGR3, Viva Pinata, Kameo, & Arcade Unplugged. He gave me a separate case number for the free game as well. He was actually quite nice and seemed to understand how pissed I was.

Richard DeV @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:19PM

i thought it was funny that your updates went right along with my own red ring process. I got mine back yesterday. So glad i've got it back! So many demos came out in that month lol.

Gemini Ace @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:55PM

If it's true that all you have to do is delete and re-download all your old content on your old box, that would be helpful information. I'm a loyal reader and I did not know that. You might want to give a breakdown on the site or podcast about this. It's obvious that a lot of us don't know this info.

pclyons @ Aug 24th 2007 12:13AM

@43 I appreciate it.I might call back and see if I could get something out of all this. Just sucks I'm going to have to wait another 3 weeks or so.

Strud @ Aug 24th 2007 1:17AM

I had my red-ringed 360 repaired recently - new motherboard with heatsink and matching BenQ DVD. All my previously purchased XBLive items were transferred to the new console, as was stated in the xbox.com forums about a month before I returned it. I can still use all the content when not logged on to Live or using a different profile. This was in Australia, but I thought it would be the same everywhere.

Jeramy @ Aug 24th 2007 1:53AM

yeah, man, for anyone bitching about needing ms points refunding to redownload xbla games, you are completely mistaken. all you have to do is just delete and redownload when you're connected to xbl (which you'd have to be to use ms points anyway). i mean, you guys sound like those that always said "no, content is saved to your hdd, so you can still use it"

i had the rrod, and i assumed i received a refurb, since the mac address was different (it wouldn't register with my network which has a mac address filter). but, to my surprise, nothing was different when i was disconnected to xbl. so i guess i win?